After developing a strong body position foundation, the next step is to include the propulsion phase of the stroke, the flutter kick. In this phase and the rest of the phases in freestyle moving forward, you want to continue maintaining that strong body position to help reduce the drag as you swim.
Starting in a streamlined solid position, you want to generate the kick from the hips while keeping the legs relatively straight and all the joints loose. Each leg should be alternating when generating propulsion.
A common mistake when flutter kicking is the locking of the joints. You want to keep the legs straight and the joints loose, or the power will only be pushed up and down, creating little to no propulsion. You want to be able to feel the water flow from the top of your leg down to your toes when kicking. Start nice and slow with a steady rhythmic kick, then speed up once comfortable.
Simplifying the focus can help further develop the kick. Instead of starting in a streamline position while kicking, use a buoyant aid to keep the body afloat while directing the focus on the kick. To strengthen the kick, wearing flippers will increase the amount of water that needs to be pushed back to propel you forward. Once you have developed a certain level of comfort with the kick, incorporate the streamline positioning with the flutter kick.
Another way to help with the kick’s propulsion is by vertically flutter kicking in a deeper part of the pool while using a buoyant aid to help keep afloat. The power you generate from the kick should be enough to help keep the shoulders above the surface. If the kick is working effectively, then you should stay in one spot of the pool. As you get a better feel for the kick, start using smaller aids that minimally keep you afloat to help direct your focus more on the kick. Once comfortable, go back to horizontal kicking.
Check out the previous tip in this series Freestyle Body Position
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By Colyn Ma
Colyn is one of the Aquatic Programmers at MacEwan University Sport and Wellness. He has been with us for over six years and has over 10 years of competitive swimming and coaching experience.
